God as best seller

A walk down the aisle of any major bookstore reveals that spirituality sells, and that spirituality is not confined to the “religion” or “Christian inspiration” sections. Diverse though the literature on spirituality is, a body of popular teachings about God—and how we might experience God—is emerging within it. If the civil religion and public theologies of mainline Protestantism no longer capture the imagination of the average American, perhaps this new teaching is taking its place. Not identified with any traditional or established belief or practice, it is influenced by a range of sources, including westernized forms of Hinduism and Buddhism, the “metaphysical” beliefs of post-Christian churches (e.g., Unity churches) and 12-step appeals to God “as you perceive him.”